Jesus said in Matthew 18:3 that we are to become as little children. He did not mean to be immature, but we are to be loving, kind and forgiving as little ones are. We are not supposed to stomp our feet and throw fits as little ones sometimes do. We are to forget about those things we do not like as quickly as children do, and we are not to hold grudges.
Have you ever watched children playing? One of them would get mad and say, “I am going home, and I am never going to play or talk to you again!” Within a few minutes these children are playing and having a great time again. Of course, we have all seen this action or something similar many times.
To be childlike, we must be loving. Jesus said we are to love one another. In John 13:34 we read, “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” Do we follow Jesus’ command as little children? If not, why not?
Children are kind to one another when they are young. Unfortunately, we as adults teach them to be unloving, unkind and unforgiving by the example we set. In being kind to one another, we should not speak badly of others. How often after worship on Sunday morning on your way home from services do you have “roast” preacher, song leader, elders or whomever for what he did not do or say according to what you thought he should have done or said?
There was a joke that went something like this. On the way home one Sunday morning, the parents were complaining about how long the sermon was, how many songs were sung (of course off key) and that the prayer was way too long. The little boy in the back seat said, “I thought it was pretty a good show for only a quarter.” How sad! Is this what we teach our children? We are told in Romans 12:10 to love. This joke had nothing kind or loving in it. So, let us think before we act. “What would Jesus do or say?”
“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loves is born of God, and knows God” (1 John 4:7). Yes, let us act lovingly, kindly and forgivingly as little children. We can learn a lot from these little ones. Jesus knew this, and that is why He said that we are to become as little children.
